Smoking and cystic fibrosis

The harmful effects of smoking are now well documented. The UK figures are disturbing: although the prevalence of smoking for adults is falling, in children it has been steadily rising since 1992. Passive smoking has been implicated in lung cancer, heart disease and respiratory diseases. Children are most vulnerable to passive smoking, especially if they already have preexisting lung disease. Cigarette advertising has been implicated in the increasing incidence and prevalence of smoking, especially in children. The majority (96%) of 11–15- year-olds can recall cigarette advertising, and 56% can name one sport linked with cigarette advertising. There have been several papers looking at the incidence, prevalence and effects of active and passive smoking in the cystic fibrosis (CF) population. This paper reviews the current literature on active and passive smoking in cystic fibrosis and reports the findings of a recent questionnaire to adult CF patients attending the Manchester Unit. The survey details the levels of active and passive smoking in CF patients and their parents, the perceptions of how smoking affects their health, and provides recommendations for care and cessation.